HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_PAREB_06.13.2019Minutes of the Meeting of the
Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
City of Georgetown, Texas
June 13, 2019
Regular Session
(This Regular Session may, at any time, be recessed to convene an Executive Session for any
purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code 551.)
A Call to Order - Jim Hougnon, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Jim Hougnon.
B Roll Call - Jim Hougnon, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Chair
Board members present: Jim Hougnon, Katherine Kainer, Michael Simpson, Larry
Gambone, Danielle Houck, Wayne Beyer
Board members absent: Scott Macmurdo
Staff present: Kimberly Garrett, Dave Melaas, Halle Hamilton, Jill Kellum
C Parks and Recreation staff member introduction and presentation - Kimberly Garrett,
Parks and Recreation Director
Kimberly Garrett introduced Hallelu Hamilton, Recreation Specialist, at the Recreation Center.
Hallelu Hamilton stated she attended Texas State University. She started with the city a year
ago as a recreation specialist. She stated she is involved in a lot of areas at the Recreation
Center. She works with the Senior Adults, Camps, Administrative Staff and is being trained
with setups and closing the facility. She is the manager on duty when there is not another
manager on duty. Kimberly Garrett stated she is responsible for a lot of the customer service
interactions and working the front desk; she registers people for memberships and programs.
Jim Hougnon asked what Hallelu Hamilton thought about the new software system. She stated
there are a lot of different ways it can be used and compared to another city she has talked to
about it; we use it more heavily. She stated she likes the organization of it and the updates
bring along glitches and it is hard to predict. She stated she doesn't have anything to compare
it to and it has its pros and cons. Jim Hougnon asked if it is difficult to use. She stated the
changing with the updates is difficult. Mike Simpson asked where is an area at the Recreation
Center that could use additional attention and help. She stated Georgetown is growing very
fast and we are on the beginning of the growing pangs. As a facility, the last big project was 10
-11 years ago when the rest of the building was added. She stated it is doing a good job of
hosting the programs we have. She stated with the fitness center, the etiquette is hard to
manage because there is waiting time and there is a lot of traffic at certain peak times.
D Update from the Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation - Danelle Houck, Parks
and Recreation Advisory Boardmember
Danelle Houck stated the Friends received a $1000 from the San Gabriel Women's Club and an
additional $200 donation. The general meeting of the Friends will be Monday, September 16ffi
in the Community Room. Jim Hougnon asked how the membership stands. Danelle Houck
stated they have moved away from a membership based organization. They have worked on
volunteering and what they can do and the donations.
E Project Updates and Staff Report - Kimberly Garrett, Parks and Recreation Director
David Melaas stated in San Gabriel Phase II all the construction, paving, parking, and
demolition is complete. They have reconstructed and constructed new trails and they are about
95% at this point. All the small pavilions have been corrected and painted. The large pavilion
is about 95% complete. The 2 springs are about 95% and landscaping will come in after the 4th
of July. Also linked to this project is the additional trail section to Katy Crossing and we are
waiting for Texas Parks and Wildlife to release that to us. We will go to bid the 1st part of July
with the CIP trail construction to get ADA compliant. The VFW parking lot is complete. For
the Berry Creek Neighborhood Park; there was a public meeting where 16 families participated.
There was input from them and this is being designed in house. It will go to the engineers and
they will formalize all the drawings and take to bid. The work will be done mostly in house.
The Kelly Park project is on hold. For Madison Oaks we are looking at putting in a trail, picnic
shelters and fitness equipment. It was asked were the closest residence was located. Kimberly
Garrett stated there are some townhomes located next to it and it is a gated community. There
is a sidewalk that would connect and there is another access point off of 1460. Larry Gambone
asked about usage of the park. Kimberly Garrett stated that was the agreement that was signed
with 84 Lumber when we gave them the railroad spur, they gave us the $50,000 to put toward
improvements to the park. For the people that work at 84 Lumber it could be a place where
they could walk over for lunch or take a break. That is the idea behind the picnic pavilions and
trail versus a playground. Wayne Beyer asked if out of the $50,000 if that was for the design as
well. Dave Melaas stated it will be designed in house.
Legislative Regular Agenda
F Consideration and possible action to recommend approval of a Buy Board purchase of
playground equipment from GameTime of Fort Payne, Alabama, in the amount of
$89,972.18 for the development of Golden Bear Park. - Kimberly Garrett, Parks and
Recreation Director
Dave Melaas stated Golden Bear Park is 2.72 acres and was accepted by the board in 2013 for
development. It was funded this year for $250,000 through the CIP budget. There was a public
input meeting and their number one request was a playground equipment, then a trail and
fitness. They did not want picnic shelters. Dave Melaas is working with the right-of-way staff
now as there is an easement on the property and they can connect the trail and utilize the
sidewalks on the street as well the loop through the park. We have partnered with PlayCore
Incorporated which is a subsidiary of GameTime and also Texas Recreation and Parks Society
with a program called Nature Grounds where we incorporate a lot more landscaping and
nature into the design. This playground is one of the type of units they allow to be purchased
and installed for that program. This unit is priced at approximately $150,000 and we will obtain
it for $89,972. 18. Kimberly Garrett stated this is one piece that will go into that park. Dave
Melaas stated there will also be a trail and a fitness piece. Kimberly Garrett stated all within the
$250,000 budget. The installation of this playground will be done in house.
Motion made by Larry Gambone second by Danelle Houck to recommend approval of a Buy
Board purchase of playground equipment from GameTime of Fort Payne, Alabama, in the
amount of $89,972.18 for the development of Golden Bear Park.
Approved: 6-0-1(absent)
G Consideration and possible action to recommend approval of the Parks 5 Year Capital
Improvement Plan. - Kimberly Garrett, Parks and Recreation Director
Kimberly Garrett stated that staff prepares annually a capital improvement plan that is
presented to City Council. She stated there is still a lot property under protest with the
Appraisal District, so there is a little uncertainty of how much revenue the city actually has.
The plan presented shows everything staff would like to do next year and has the capacity to do
and what staff feels is right sized based on what the council will accept in terms of debt. She
stated staff knows the requests cannot be 20 million or even 10 million dollars this next year.
Last year council gave direction that in 5 years they were trying to balance out 75 million dollars
over all the capital projects in the city and that put about 15 million per year over 5 years. They
are trying to balance that debt and not have a spike in it. Council will determine which projects
are priority over all debt projects that are presented. Some of these projects are carry over from
last year and are asking for them again in the capital improvement plan. Kimberly Garrett will
go to Council on the 25f to present them this plan along with the Utilities Plan. Council will
give feedback on July 91h and shape what projects will be included and they will determine how
much debt they want to issue. Jim Hougnon asked that essentially the bottom line has been
massaged by city staff. Kimberly Garrett stated yes and for some of the items there is not a
funding source and we know there is 12 million dollars left in the 2008 bond. The first 3 years
the projects can be funded with debt that we currently and after this we will have to go for a
bond. This will all change and becoming clearer if we can get funding for the masterplan.
Right now, staff is taking a shot at trying to fill in the gaps from the last masterplan. All the
projects in the current masterplan have been completed. Kimberly Garrett stated we know we
need a Recreation Center on the westside. We don't know where that falls in and how much it
costs. The items presented are placeholders until we get input from the citizens. That is why
they are pushed out farther than 5 years. Council only adopts year one; not the out years.
Kimberly Garret stated that we aren't eligible for grants through Texas Parks and Wildlife
because the masterplan is not updated. It needs to be updated every 5 -10 years. The
population has double since the last masterplan and there is a lot we don't know from the
community and are just making assumptions. The key factor of getting the masterplan adopted
sets us up for the next bond election. This is how the 2008 bond election was requested; there
was a masterplan that showed all the projects and the cost and passed a 35 million bond. That
is the next step and the city manager has said we will not go for a bond without a spending plan
and masterplan. Kimberly Garrett stated that is where we are with a timeline and the
masterplan is really important. The first proposed project in 2020 is to continue the ADA
Transition Plan. We will get down the Randy Morrow trail almost all the way to the lake and
then we will have to work on the S. San Gabriel Trail. There are areas where it is heaving and
there are issues there. It is a never ending plan. We think that within 3 years all the ADA issues
will be addressed that are in the transition plan. Blue Hole Park Improvement is a placeholder
there for improvements at the river. It was held off due to the Austin Avenue bridges and
when those would get redeveloped. That would all transition in and that is still the plan but we
don't have a timeline when it will be funded. This is out 5 years. The Historic San Gabriel
River Park; there is a small amount of money there. That is for the home behind HEB on the S.
San Gabriel River. That will be money to go through some design. There are probably
opportunities for grants when you have historic structures. We are waiting on HEB to turn over
the house to us. We can't accept the house without having access to the property and knowing
what their plans are. Neighborhood Park Development has been in the CIP the last couple of
years and how we obtained Golden Bear Park funding. This is money where we had parkland
dedication and don't have a funding source. But, as of Tuesday night everything passed on the
parkland dedication; the fees and the code and everything will be effective July 1st. Any new
plan that comes in after July 1st will be under the new code requirements. We do have these
vacant parcels until we build up enough funding possibly from the new code and fees to build a
park. Focus on this next year would be to redevelop the Heritage Community Gardens. This is
in the southeast quadrant of town. We took this over a little over a year ago from the County.
It is 17 acres and we have let the county use it. Since we have taken over, we have dedicated
staff, the Urban Forester, who has knowledge in community gardening. We do need parking
and an organized way to access it and a structure for the gardens. Kimberly Garrett stated since
it is in the southeast quadrant it could be redeveloped and make it a park with playgrounds and
some picnic pavilions and other features. It is a good sized property and close to a high need
residential area. It could serve 2 purposes, not just a community garden and can be developed
into a community park. It is prone to flooding and over half of it is in the floodplain. That is
where staff would like to focus Neighborhood Park funding this next year. The Parks Master
Plan; Staff also is looking at doing a cost recovery project along with the master plan. With the
new passing of senate bill 2 with the 31/z% restriction on the amount of taxes we can raise is
going to force us to look at charging for our programs and services and decide what should be
free, low cost and what people should be paying for and not subsidizing. It is a subsidy study.
Staff would like to tie that into the master plan. It requires some public input and we want the
public to buy in. Regional Trail Development; is one that was asked for last year. This is the
vital piece that connects at Highway 29 and Scenic. This is behind that Wolf Crossing
Subdivision and comes out at IH 35 where the Wolf Ranch Development is building their trail
from behind Wolf Ranch Town Center through the Hillwood property. They have bid that
project and are going to start within the next 30 — 45 days. That is through the MUD. They
should be done by December. This is an important section as it will fill the gap between 2
sections. In the Wolf Crossing subdivision, staff has worked with them on some tree mitigation
for them to do a trail head. In lieu of planting trees, where there was not room, they are
providing a trail head within that development that will connect onto the trail. In out years
there is money for more trail development when opportunities arise. In San Gabriel Park the
initial $600,000 is for design of Phase III. We know we cannot design and construct in the same
year. This one is married up where we design in one year and we also need the funding to
construct in the out year. Those 2 are crucial. Jim Hougnon asked if the rest of the arena will
stay as is until construction. Kimberly Garrett and Dave Melaas explained that the rodeo
association left more than was anticipated and staff is working with Prime Construction and
TDS to have it removed. Kimberly Garrett also explained that on the Showbarn, the County has
said they are going to sever the lease. City Council has approved that and it is now with the
County Commissioners. Staff is anticipating that within the next 6 months that piece of the
park will look different with those pieces removed. There is a place holder for the Southeast
Community Park. The city realizes that land is not getting cheaper and it is being purchased
quickly in the southeast quadrant. In order to get 75 —100 acres, staff would like to use some of
the bond money from 2008, since we have the caveat of land preservation to use that. We need
it for the construction of San Gabriel Park Phase III in 2021 and staff cannot add another 4
million to 2021; in order to keep it balanced. Staff wants City Council to know it is very
important and that the Heritage Garden could be a stop gap. The demolition of the Tennis
Center Pool is the next item. There was an aquatics master plan study in 2013. The Tennis
Center was purchased in 1999 from Berry Creek Racquet Club and the pool has been patched
and repaired for about 5 years. The estimate to repair the pool is $450,000. Staff doesn't want to
close it and it sit as a vacant pool, they would like to demolition the pool. The long term plan,
when we get the parks master plan, would be to relocate those tennis courts with the Westside
Park and Recreation Center and share parking, restroom, front desk staff; it is not intended to
be standalone facility with its own dedicated staff. It's hard to take a pool out but it is almost
beyond repair. Williams Drive and Village Pools are in close proximity. The last 2 items; the
Westside Recreation Center is for design and then the last is for construction. This was not put
in because we do not have a masterplan or a funding source. The last is the Westside Park
development. We have the land and we have adjacent development that is coming in where the
trail extension is. We are waiting development on that and we don't have a road yet or utilities.
This is what will be presented to City Council. Mike Simpson asked if there was any potential
or discussion of expanding the current Recreation Center. Kimberly Garrett stated not right
now and that it wasn't built to expand but it's not that it's not possible. But, with the growth on
the westside of town, it makes sense to distribute that to another area. A lot of developments
coming in are providing their own recreation centers or amenity centers. Kimberly Garrett
stated there would have to be a lot of reconfiguring of the current recreation center site to make
an expansion work. She also stated that some people are driving a good distance to attend the
current center. Kimberly Garrett stated we are drawing people from 25 miles and beyond
because of the different programs we offer. This will be taken to City Council on June 25th.
Kimberly Garrett stated staff can bring back an update on the status of the CIP at the July
meeting.
Motion made by Michael Simpson second by Wayne Beyer to recommend approval of the
Parks 5 Year Capital Improvement Plan.
Approved: 6-0-1(absent)
H Consideration and possible action to approve minutes from the April 11, 2019 meeting
- Jill Kellum, Administrative Supervisor
Motion made by Danelle Houck second by Katherine Kainer to approve minutes from the
April 11, 2019 meeting.
Approved: 6-0-1(absent)
Adjournment
Motion made by Jim Hougnon second by Katherine Kainer to adjourn the meeting.
Approved: 6-0-1(absent)
Meeting adjourned at 7:11 pm.
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Ja e`-Ilougnkl#edrd Chair
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Katherine Kainer, Secretary
Jill feellurn, Board Liaison